Can the Cheeks Be Repositioned to a Lower Level During a Revision Facelift?

I am 5 mo's post face/neck lift. The Dr. raised/repositioned my cheeks too high. The only comments I receive are negative & they are accurate. I have also lost a good deal of volume in my midface. Is it possible to have the lift redone & have the malar pads repositioned to a lower level?

Doctor Answers 14

Redo Facelift Advice

March 1st, 2011

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Please try to be patient . You are too early to consider secondary surgery. Often results that seem problematic turn out beautiful. To alleviate your anxiety talk to 3 ABPS FACS Surgeons who do facelifts and see what they say. Many of us see patients of others that are in distress without charge. You likely will turn out great. Go for other consultations and listen carefully. There is no rush. I wish you the very best.

Moving the malar fullness early after facelift.

April 22nd, 2011

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My take on this is: Too Soon! Changes in the volume distribution of face may still change, especially if a deep plane approach was used. If you can see any way to be more patient, I'd do that. You may save yourself a surgery.

Lowering cheeks after a facelift

March 13th, 2011

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Raising the fat in the cheeks is a typical part of a facelift. In most patients a very nice contour is achieved. If you feel that the fat is too high after 5 months following surgery, chances are it will remain that way long term. Still, I would recommend that you wait a full year after your operation to even consider a revision as the tissue (including the fat) will continue to soften and settle over time. At one year, generally what you see is what you are gonna get. At that time you can reassess and think about possible revisions.

It is very difficult to lower the tissue though reshaping is possible. While a very small amount of fat might be able to be removed you are more likely to get benefit from some fat grafting to change the overall shape to one that you like better. If you choose to do that please be extra patient with the results. The second operation has an even longer healing time than the first. In the end, I believe you will be happy.

Facelift Pictures

Raised cheeks after face lift can be lowered but it may be better to wait

March 12th, 2011

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Five months is a fair amount of time after a face lift to have some settling. If your cheeks are still raised too high, it would be prudent to wait until a year to reconsider. It would all depend on how you look. This would need to be assessed by your doctor or other doctors, for second opinions, to see what you currently have and what you ultimately desire. But your cheeks can be lowered in many different ways. Get second opinions to make sure you are getting the right information. You may need to do some research yourself to really know what you are asking as well.

Advice on Revising a Facelift

March 10th, 2011

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As difficult as it may be now, waiting a full year after surgery before having a revision surgery will allow you to see your final result. If your cheeks were raised during surgery, you might now be seeing the loss of volume that is also part of the aging process. Adding volume through fat transfer or fillers may be a better option than surgery.

The best way to determine your options is to see a physician for a consultation. You can seek several different opinions and then choose the doctor and the plan that is best for you.

Face Lift, Revision Face Lift, Mid Face Lift, Cheek Augmentation

Yes, it is possible to re-shape the cheeks during or after a Face Lift. This can be done by addressing the current shape of the cheeks and Cushing then accordingly.

It's unlikely that the fat pads would be lower as I feel this would add a strange look to the cheeks but the cheek itself could be shaped by reducing excess subcutaneous fat, using fillers like Radiesse or Perlane or Cheek Implants. Mid Face Facelifts or Subperiosteal Face Lifts can create excess and enlarged Cheeks, in my opinion, as the tissues are elevated in that direction when performing that type of Face Lift. It's advisable to wait a minimum of 6 months before considering a Revision Face Lift but fillers and subcutaneous fat reduction using microlipo could be done anytime as a local office procedure.

Cheek position after facelifts

March 3rd, 2011

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There are a number of techniques used in facelifting, some of which are geared more to the midface/cheeks. It's possible that your result is based on such a choice of technique. In any event, you really can't or shouldn't redo that surgery. You would do best by just giving things time, expecting them to improve as you age, or add volume to the face in adjacent areas to camoflage this look. It may not be what you want to hear, but that's what you need to consider.

The Need For A Facelift Revision Takes Time And Tissue Relaxation To Decide

March 3rd, 2011

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It is not possible to lower the cheek tissue layer that has been raised during your facelift. Options could include some small cannula liposuction, injectable fat into the sunken in areas underneath the cheek or some combination. I would get multiple opinions from different plastic surgeons and don't do anything until at least one year after your surgery. Tissues do relax and settle over time and what may look too high now could change for the better. Whether that is happening in any significant way will be evident at one year after surgery.

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